11/12/2010
Brazil is honored to have been a part of
this successful effort in Cancun to bring
new global momentum to fighting climate
change. The hard work of all participants
at COP-16 has demonstrated that a multilateral
approach can succeed when there is transparency,
inclusiveness and compromise.
After many years of
effort and two intense weeks of negotiations,
Brazil is particularly pleased that the
international community could find a solution
to the deep rifts on a second commitment
phase of the Kyoto Protocol. It was our
distinct honor to work in partnership with
the United Kingdom to co-chair negotiations
on this contentious issue at the request
of the Mexican presidency. We believe that
the Protocol is the essential key to making
a meaning full impact on climate change,
and will support continued efforts toward
establishing a legally-binding commitment.
Global problems require global solutions,
and Brazil is committed to doing its part
to ensure that we are building a low-carbon
economy for the future.
Source: Portal Brazil
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Brazilian researchers
to boost plants' resistance to climate change
06/12/2010
With the prospect of rising global temperatures
due to climate change, scientists at the
Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation
(Embrapa) have begun to seek solutions so
that foods essential to human life can stand
a warmer environment. The institution is
running research to minimize the effects
of global warming on agriculture in Brazil.
Coffee is one of the main plants being studied,
because of its economic importance to the
country.
A study by experts
on climatic zoning at Embrapa and the University
of Campinas (Unicamp), in the state of São
Paulo (Southeast Brazil), has concluded
that coffee is one of the crops that are
most threatened by the effects of global
warming. According to the coordinator of
the research, Eduardo Assad, the main cause
of the coffee's vulnerability is the loss
of blooming caused by drought and intense
heat. However, he believes that this can
be modified by biotechnology and genetic
improvements, making the plants more tolerant
to these threats.
Researcher Miriam Eira
explains that irrigation of coffee crops
can lead to solutions to reduce the plant's
climatic vulnerability. According to the
scientist, technology has evolved both in
the development of new equipment, and new
farming practices. Innovative management
techniques, such as the development of denser
and tree-covered crops, can also mitigate
the effects of temperature increases in
coffee producing regions.
Another strand of research
at Embrapa is the study of plants that naturally
adapt well to high temperatures, such as
manioc. According to the scientists, crops
like these hold the genetic key that will
help in the adaptation of other plants in
times of global warming. In addition, studying
manioc genetics will explain how the plant
can live in dry soils and warm climates
- such as those in Northeastern Brazil.
Source: Portal Brazil
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Brazil and UK to help
break deadlock on Kyoto Protocol negotiations
07/12/2010
It is the start of week 2 at the climate
change meetings in Cancun, and the Mexican
presidency has stepped-up efforts to overcome
unresolved issues ahead of the COP-16 high-level
ministerial segment scheduled to begin on
Wednesday, December 8. In a new approach,
Mexico tapped Brazil and the United Kingdom
today to co-facilitate discussions on the
extension of the Kyoto Protocol.
According to Brazil's
climate envoy, Ambassador Sérgio
Serra, the Mexican presidency decided to
pair a select number of developing and developed
countries to lead informal consultations
to try to break the deadlock surrounding
some of the main issues that have stymied
negotiations so far.
As a result, Brazil's
Environment Minister, Izabella Teixeira,
and the UK Climate Change Secretary, Chris
Huhne, held meetings with representatives
from the African countries group and Japan
to discuss outstanding issues regarding
the second commitment period of the Kyoto
Protocol. Additional talks with Russian
and Chinese officials are expected to take
place possibly on this Tuesday, when co-chairs
of the informal groups are to report back
on the progress of negotiations.
"It's an earnest
effort by the Mexican presidency to bring
this conference to a satisfactory result,
and we're all doing our utmost to support
it", Ambassador Serra said at a press
briefing held yesterday (December 6).
"I think the responsibility
that was given to Brazil in trying to break
perhaps one of the biggest deadlocks we're
facing in this conference, which is the
discussion on the second commitment period
of the Kyoto Protocol, reflects the active
role the country has taken in these negotiations",
he concluded.
Source: Portal Brazil
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Brazilian Delegation
provides updates on Kyoto Protocol negotiations
08/12/2010
As the COP-16 Climate Conference enters
its high-level segment, Brazil's Minister
of Environment, Izabella Teixeira, said
this Tuesday (December 7) in Cancun that
parties have started to show the necessary
disposition for an agreement on a second
commitment period for the Kyoto Protocol,
despite unresolved technical obstacles.
"In all the consultations
that we've made, countries have demonstrated
the political will to achieve a new arrangement
for the second commitment period of the
Kyoto Protocol. I am optimistic that we
can achieve this common objective."
The Minister tempered
her optimism with pragmatism, however, noting
that there are still several challenges
to resolve: "Right now we are operating
at the political level. What we still need
to resolve is what technical agreements
we will need to adopt, considering the negotiation
tracks we have today", she explained.
Since Monday, Minister
Teixeira and UK Climate Change Secretary,
Chris Huhne, have been co-chairing informal
talks with key groupings and individual
countries to facilitate political dialogue
and try to unlock the discussions regarding
the continuation of the Kyoto Protocol.
Source: Portal Brazil
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Brazil signals cautious
optimism for solution on second commitment
period of KP
09/12/2010
With two days left to go at the COP-16 Climate
Change Conference, Brazil's chief negotiator,
Ambassador Luiz Alberto Figueiredo, said
yesterday (December 8) in Cancun that he's
optimistic about achieving a good result
by the end of the talks this Friday. Speaking
at a press conference, Ambassador Figueiredo
said that countries are committed to finding
a solution for the second commitment period
of the Kyoto Protocol, which has been one
of the most divisive issues under discussion
in these negotiations.
"All delegations
are engaging - which is a very good sign
- and trying to come up with creative ideas,
so I am cautiously optimistic that we'll
achieve what we came here to do", Ambassador
Figueiredo told reporters.
According to Figueiredo,
Brazil has helped to lead intense informal
consultations this afternoon in an effort
to resolve pending issues that are critical
to the successful conclusion of the Conference.
"We're currently
exploring language that could bridge important
gaps that may resolve the issue of the division
between those who don't want to engage in
Kyoto's second commitment period and those
who definitely want a clear message on the
topic from Cancun", he said.
Ambassador Figueiredo
also confirmed that Brazil is in favor of
an eventual legally-binding outcome from
the negotiations, as long as it represents
a strong international response to climate
change. "If you don't have substance
that is worthy of a legally-binding instrument,
there is no need at this point in time to
crystallize a weak text into treaty",
he concluded.
